Do you feel sick or run down every time you work overtime? You could work in a building that produces what health experts call "sick building syndrome."
Poor indoor air quality or other pollutant and toxin problems can leave workers suffering from such acute health problems as eye, throat and nose irritation, headaches, coughing, dizziness and nausea.
And if your home is not offering a respite, chances are that the environment there contains pollutants or toxins, too.
While some cases of sick building syndrome are more serious than others, in many instances relief can be found with better maintenance, getting rid of mould and mildew - even adding house plants to your surroundings.
In office buildings, "the biggest problem is with indoor air quality," said Bob Adams, a senior manager at New Jersey-based Environ International, a consulting firm that addresses environmental risk and health issues.
"Offices are designed for efficiency," he said. "We cut down the outdoor air supply and re-circulate, and it leads to problems."
The result is what Adams calls "stale air syndrome." Besides stuffy air, other chemicals and toxins can cause trouble at work. They include indoor toxins from copy machines, cleaning agents and pesticides, and combustion by-products from nearby buildings or garages. Also, viruses, moulds, pollen and bacteria can hide in stagnant water that accumulates on carpets or in ceiling tiles.
If you suspect something's lurking on the premises or in the air system, you might want to ask your boss how well maintained the air system is.
"I find the better maintenance in the building, the less likely it is they will have indoor air quality problems," said Adams, who's also a member of the American Industrial Hygiene Association.
Office buildings in "high-rent" districts are less likely to have problems, he said. No matter how good the maintenance, if construction is taking place, problems often follow, Adams said, unless the area is sealed off to prevent the spread of odours and particles from building materials, paints and construction dust.
Beware, too, new carpets and furnishings. Treatments used on them can "off-gas" and emit allergy-producing chemicals, heightening problems for people who already have allergies or asthma, he said. Even at home, pollutants are everywhere, especially if you're a less-than-stellar housekeeper.
Pet dander, saliva and faeces - all the little unpleasantness that go with owning a pet - can cause asthma attacks in people with the condition. Mould spores are asthma triggers, too. "If you can see mould, it needs to be removed. And you need to remove the water source - such as carpeting, dry wall or flooring - to eliminate it altogether. Dust mites cause allergic reactions, too. That is a matter of making sure you wash your pillows and sheets in very hot water very frequently.
To cut down on toxins, have your gas appliances serviced regularly, according to manufacturer's instructions.
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